Nails of the Week: Feelin' Beachy

Hello Friends!

As you might have read/heard, I have had an obsession with teal and I really love it in combination with white and nude. Teal and nude have been a long time favourite combination of mine and teal and white just seem so perfect together for summer. So I thought what if I combine the three of these colours to make a nail look? Seems like a good idea and winning trio to me!



The combination of these colours just scream "a day at the beach" to me. The nude is very sandy and the teal are different colours of the ocean. I wasn't sure what kind of design I would want to do and thought that  once I've picked the right colours it will come to me. It didn't. I grabbed my "Vestral White" (Hello Kitty Collection), my "Pistachio Cream" (Baking Beauties Collection), my "Ocean Dip" (Surf, Baby! Collection), and my "Hangin' Loose" (Surf, Baby! Collection) and I still couldn't decide on a suitable design. I have been seeing a lot of nail looks where finger nails were painted a different colour, either in combination or as an ombre look. I thought that it looked so chic and this combination of colours would be perfect for that type of look.

Don't get me wrong, I have also seen photos of this type of nail look and it was not so pleasant. I think the real key here is to make sure you pick the right combination of colours, otherwise it could look juvenile or crazy. A good way to make sure that you pick the right combination of colours is to create a theme, and pick 3-5 colours that suit that theme. Do not paint all ten finger nails different colours! This is what I found that makes it seem very juvenile, the rotation of 3-4 colours is what makes this type of look sophisticated. Also another tip I found is that to make sure you incorporate either white or black with your theme, the neutral black or white colour is what makes this look chic!



(Photos are curtesy of bellasugar.net & Dressedupnails.com)









Once I had the colours picked out, I was very diligent to make sure that I make a pattern for the colours. I thought of how the beach colours are layered and which colours would look best on which finger nails. My pattern is this: nude-white-light teal-dark teal-light teal-white-nude-white-light teal-dark teal-light teal and so on.

I got my hands prepped for paint by washing them and making sure they were clean. I had filed my nails down a bit as they were getting too long for my liking. I also like to put petroleum jelly (Vaseline) around my nail beds as it protects the skin from the nail polish and makes it easy to clean up excess polish around the nail beds.


Once I knew my pattern, I started painting. My first coat...

A second coat...

And a third...

Top coat is optional of course, if you would like some added shine. I opted not to use a top coat this time.

I like to make sure that these colours are nice and opaque with no streaks. It's up to you how many layers you would like, I'm pretty consistent with three coats. I made sure that I let each coat dry thoroughly before applying the next coat and let my nails sit for at least 20 minutes to completely dry before doing anything with my hands after the last coat.

And voila!

Super cute and easy summer manicure that anyone can do!  This warm weather has gotten me in the beach mood and this summer manicure will help hold me off until I can get to the real beach! I love how this turned out and I can see myself having this manicure a few times during the summer. You can use any combination of colours that you think means beach to you, you don't have to use the same colours as I did. The beach is the inspiration, I want to see what combinations you come up with! Show me what colours scream beach to you in a manicure and tag #makeupmasochist on Instagram or Twitter, I would love to see your work!

I hope you try this manicure for yourself and I hope that the tips and tricks might help for making future manicures easier. If there are any manicure ideas you would like to see me try, leave me your suggestions and requests in the comments box below! I would love to hear them!

Please be sure to subscribe to my blog for future manicure and nail art posts, if that's your kinda thing. You can also follow my blog on Bloglovin' (Makeupmasochist) and for more daily photos and posts follow my Instagram (@fernonje). I will also be answering all my emails, you can email me at makeupmasochist@gmail.com :)

Now to get myself to a beach...

xoxo
Ashley

Restaurant Review: Joey's Yorkdale

Hey Y'all!

Since one of my all time favourite things to do is to eat, my partner and I like to try different restaurants and cuisines that are offered here in Toronto. Toronto has so many amazing restaurants that have some of the most amazing chefs in the world that offer some amazing signature dishes. If you ever plan on coming to Toronto to visit, I definitely recommend doing a restaurant tour or at least, doing some research into what restaurants are good to visit while you are here.

We are frequent Yorkdale shoppers (Yorkdale = best mall ever!). And although we visit Yorkdale often, we have never eaten at the restaurant "Joey's" even though we always say we will. Yorkdale in the last year, has opened up a whole new corridor with a lot of the top boutiques, along with a larger new Apple store and a new Windows store. At the same time with the corridor, "Joey's" was built.






After a very successful MAC haul, thanks to my birthday gift cards, we finally made our way over to "Joey's". Overall first impression was pleasant, the restaurant and its decor is very rustic, but still contemporary and modern. The chandeliers are absolutely stunning and huge in size! We loved the option of booth or table, and if you know me, I always prefer a booth! There were two seating levels, with booths, tables, a bar in the center and a huge TV on the opposite wall. Great set up for both formal dinners and casual drinks. I would definitely come back here and watch a game next time!












Glancing over the menu, one side was the complete drink menu, lots of variety- wine, beers, cocktails - the average prices, not overpriced. The food menu I found had a great variety of dishes for all to like. There were definitely a couple of dishes I was back and forth with for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Prices for the food were average for what they had to offer and the type of restaurant. Although they did have a lot to offer, there was not one thing that really jumped out at me or screamed "signature dish". I wish there would have been this moment where I didn't even want to look at anything else on the menu because I found THE DISH!

To begin we had the fried Calamari, which was a very nice start. The portion size was great for sharing, more than enough for the two of us, and the presentation (we called it "Calamari Mountain") was very nice. The calamari was perfectly cooked, not rubbery or soggy, and the breading was nice and fluffy. The sauces that was served with the calamari were a Cajun-ranch type and I think it was the same sauce drizzled on the calamari as well. So far we are very happy and excited for what's next.

Since it was around lunch time, both my partner and I ordered sandwiches. I've been seriously craving some Greek food lately and since Tzatziki one of my favourite things of life, I went with the chicken souvlaki sandwich on a pita. I got it with a side of sweet potato fries. I really enjoyed my sandwich, the bread was a nice fluffy pita and the chicken souvlaki had a great grilled taste, it was definitely the star of the dish. The veggies and other fillers in the sandwich were fresh and the chicken was hot when it arrived, which I like. The only thing that I have to say that's semi-negative is that I wish they had used a fresh Tzatziki. It was a bit watery and tasted store bought. But did the job when I put it in my sandwich. The sweet potato fries were crispy and hot and they served it with this garlic butter/mayo.

My partner ordered the lobster grilled cheese sandwich with a side of sweet potato fries. The portion was pretty good for a little toasted sandwich and they put nice big chunks of lobster in it. The lobster added this nice sweet element against the sharp cheddar, and there was a a nice twist of nutmeg seasoning. Very light and pleasant, I would order this for myself next time! If you love lobster (who doesn't!?) and grilled cheese sandwiches (again... Who doesn't!?), you will not be disappointed with this!

Although their desserts sounded amazing, we were stuffed and could not eat anything more! Trust me, I really wanted to because the desserts sounded incredible! They had chocolate lava cake, and another type of delicious chocolate cake contraption, pie... It was amazing I actually resisted! It would have been so gluttonous and perfect at the same time.


All in all I would rate this restaurant a 4 out of 5. I loved the atmosphere, all the servers were very nice and welcoming, and the food was good. I did feel a lacking in the menu and some flavors, but over all it was good. Like I've mentioned, I would come back for drinks and a game with friends as that seems like it would be a good place for that. It's a new restaurant, so I'm sure there will be a lot of changes in the menu, so I'm excited to see what will be different in a future visit.

If this seems like a place you would like to try, here is their website for some more research. They have more than one location in Toronto to make it convenient for everyone. http://www.joeyrestaurants.com/

If you have visited this restaurant before or will in the future, let me know what you thought of it in the comments box below! I hope you foodies find this review helpful, but don't take my word for it! This is just my opinion, go there and decide for yourself! You've heard my opinion and I would love to hear yours!

Don't forget to subscribe to my blog for more reviews and posts on Toronto restaurants and cuisines! You can also follow my blog on Bloglovin' (Makeupmasochist) and for more daily photos and posts follow my Instagram (@fernonje). Leave me any comments or suggestions of restaurants for me to visit for future reviews! You can also email me makeupmasochist@gmail.com. I will be sure to answer all my lovelies!

Some food for thought.

xoxo
Ashley

MAC Temperature Rising - Haul & Swatches

I want to start of by saying - I wasn't initially excited about this collection and thought about skipping it all together. But after seeing some more photos, reading reviews and seeing swatches I slowly became more on board and thought about buying only one or two pieces. Once I got to the counter and saw the collection in the flesh, I felt butterflies and fell in love.



Every year around this time MAC launches their special edition collection for summer. They always have some kind of summery special packaging and colours that are perfect for this bronzed season. This collection did not disappoint for me. The last special edition summer collection I purchased was their "Surf, Baby!" Collection from 2011' and I loved that collection because it screamed SUMMER! Their "Hey Sailor!" Collection from last year was cute but I had passed it up because I felt I had a lot of the items or similar already in my collection. This is also how I initially felt about this collection. Just another nude lipstick, coral blush and bronzer, blah blah blah... But when I went to the counter and swatched everything on my skin, I felt like I've found something that's been right in front of me all along! I needed to have it!







Here is what I got from the collections and swatches:

- Altered Beige Lustre Lipstick - I have a confession to make: I LOVE Lustures and Cremesheens!! I know that they are not usually people's favourite lipstick formulas from MAC, but they are my favourite. Don't get me wrong, I love their Matte formula for many reasons, but I just love the creamy and shiney finish of a Cremesheen or Lustre. I love the warm tone of this lipstick, it's great for bronze skin with out looking too yellow or too grey. I love nude lipsticks and seem to always be attracted to them first in a collection, and this is no different. I can't wait to use it during the day and out at night!






















- Feel My Pulse Cremesheen Lipstick - Initially I was not going to get this as I have quite a few purple lippies already, but once I swatched it on my wrist, I thought one more wont hurt! ;) I just can't say no to a Cremesheen, not to mention such a pretty purple lipstick. This is a pretty dark magenta pink (blue with a bit of yellow undertones) with a very subtle blue/purple pearl. The pearl is almost unnoticeable. Needs a few layers to build a consistent colour as most Cremesheens. This would be amazing layered over Heroine! I'm so excited to use this for those hot summer nights!

- Soft Serenade Lipglass - This was one of the items that I was initially interested in, and got me thinking more and more about this collection. I saw it in a photo on an Instagram beauty account and thought that it was just to pretty to pass up! All the glitter and sparkle was more than I could resist! I love this bronzed pinky nude, and the amount of sparkle is enough to make you want to get out your sunnies! This would be a great lipgloss to layer over nudes, pinks, and bronze lipsticks to give it an extra layer of dimension and some whimsy! I will be sure to be posting some lip recipes with this baby, make sure to check back and try them for yourself!

- Ripe For Love Powder Blush - This was also originally one of the two items I was contemplating to purchase, along with the Lipglass. I know, crazy to not want want want a lipstick! When I had first saw the blush in pictures, I knew it would the the perfect dark coral shade to compliment my summer tan. I have been going back and forth between "Cream Soda" (Archie's Girls Collection) and "Fun & Games" (Hello Kitty Collection), but I have been feeling like Cream Soda is not showing up as well and I've hit the pan on Fun & Games :(. This burnt coral blush is absolutely perfect for matching any tone of bronzed skin. I love MAC blushes, I find them very pigmented and this one fits the bill. Easily applied with very little product, goes on even and easily blend-able. I will be using this all summer and sure to make it a staple in all my summer make up looks!

- Nude On Board Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder - Bronzers and I go way back, there was a time in my life where I couldn't live without my bronzer! But, bronzer and I needed to have some space apart. After some time spent away from bronzer I started to look again and see if there was a good bronzer for me out there. One that won't treat me badly and make me orange or look like I'm made of glittery sand. And then I found you. Nude on Board is a natural bronze powder with almost a pearl matte finish without so much pearl. There's only a very small hint of shimmer which I appreciate. In the hot sun I sparkle naturally, I don't need any more sparkle to accentuate that! This is my new favourite bronzer, applied in the right spots it gives you the perfect sun kissed look without making you look orange.  I can't wait to reignite my love with Bronzer!

Here are some comparison swatches for "Altered Beige":

Left - Right/ Bottom - Top : Altered Beige, Fresh Brew, Peachstock, Marquise'd, Pure Decoration


Here are some comparison swatches for "Feel My Pulse":




Left - Right/ Bottom - Top: Feel My Pulse, Most Popular, Petals & Peacocks, Spitfire, Daddy's Little Girl


Here are some comparison swatches for "Ripe for Love":

Left - Right: Ripe For Love, Fun & Games, Prim & Proper, My Paradise, Cream Soda


Of course I have to talk about the packaging! This packaging couldn't be more perfect for this collection, it looks and feels amazing. And it's so SEXY!!! Reminds me long summer days, getaways and sunshine rays! ;)

All in all, I think this is a very well thought out collection, the colours are perfect for summer and current trends. There's something in this collection for all to enjoy, these are just the items that I picked up - go find your favourite piece at counters now!

As promised, I will be posting lip recipes and make up looks with pieces from this collection, so please be sure to subscribe so you won't miss out! You can also follow me on Bloglovin' (MakeupMasochist) and for more daily photos and posts follow me on Instagram (@fernonje). If you have any comments or suggestions, please leave them in the comments box below. I will be reading and responding to all my lovelies, and taking suggestions into consideration. You can also email me makeupmasochist@gmail.com

Until the next MAC Collection!

xoxo
Ashley

Haul! - What I Scored for My Birthday!

Hey gang!

As promised from my previous post, I am sharing with you what I received as gifts from my guests, family and friends for my birthday. I am absolutely thrilled with everything that I got, I can't believe I have received such generous gifts! I am so blessed to have not only for what I got for my birthday, but for the people who made it that much more special!

I am not one of those people who enjoys to receive cash as a gift. Although I will never reject a gift of cash, I prefer gift cards if the person is thinking of giving me a monetary gift. I find that cash ends up being bill payments instead of treating yourself with something that you wouldn't or couldn't normally. Gift cards are the freedom of choice that you get with cash, but the thought and consideration of a non-monetary gift. It can't just be any gift card, it has to be a gift card that represents the person and their style. Much deliberation and thought goes into picking the perfect gift card. You have to take the time and think of what the person likes and or what stores they like to shop at. I am all for gift cards and will happily provide suggestions to different stores or themes to keep the element of surprise there! And needless to say, I have received many gift cards this year!

Gift cards for Square One (a local mall), H & M, Starbucks, MAC (ahhhh!)... So as you can see I have got all the bases covered with these babies! Thank you everyone for allowing me to spoil myself,  along with funding and enabling me to continue my shopping addiction!

My very generous partner knew I needed some more brushes for my client kit as I would have to sometimes use some brushes from my personal kit on my clients and hated mixing the two! So she was so thoughtful to have gotten the Sigma "Make Me Cool" Essentials Kit, the Synthetic Precision Kit and this cute little brush holder, to make it easier for me to travel with my new brush kit. (Holster is on sale now btw!) I absolutely love Sigma brushes, they are of the highest quality and have the best application for all your make up looks. They have a brush for every step of full face make up plus brushes that are specifically used for certain application or process. They have kits just for eyes, kits just for face, essential kits, synthetic kits, extravaganza kits and amazing make up palettes! If you have not tried Sigma beauty products or tools, you need to get on that now! Now now now! You are missing out! These babies will fit right in with my collection and I can't wait to use them on my clients! I'm a super happy girl with my Sigma Kit! Ps, don't you love the colour I got them in? I want a kit in every colour! They are all so pretty and make it very difficult to choose one!

Along with the brushes and brush holster, she als got me some really cute things from Kate Spade. Kate Spade NY has recently opened a boutique here in Toronto and I couldn't be more thrilled! I love all of her funky and colourful clothes and jewelry, not to mention the tech accessories!! My partner has lost every pair of earbuds that we own, so in redemption she got me these super cute pink and orange earbuds. How adorable are they?! She also got me this really cute gold knot ring, super cute and simple great for me to wear with all my outfits! And because she's so attentive and knows how much I'm loving teal lately, she got me this bow bangle and knew I would absolutely love it. Everything is so adorable and the packaging is just too cute for words!

My Grandma and aunt were so generous to have gotten me this cute little Tassimo coffee machine! It's perfect! I love that it small enough for me to keep on the counter and the coffee is always absolutely delicious. I've already gone through a pack of cappuccinos! I absolutely love it, I admit, I think I may have developed a new vice...








I also have received some other miscellaneous trinkets and knickknacks, flowers and wine (which is obviously gone now!), I adore everything from the coin purse to the beach towel! Seems that everyone else also knows that I am currently obsessing over anything teal!! It just means more to me that you had taken the time to find me something that I would enjoy and I appreciate. Thank you so much!






I have loved the time I had gotten to spend with friends and family most of all! Nothing could have been better than celebrating with people who love and care about you. You have all made my birthday a very memorable one!








Now it's time to go shopping! Stay tuned for future haul posts to see what those gift cards got me! For more daily photos and posts please follow me on Instagram (@fernonje) and on bloglovin' (makeupmasochist). Please leave any comments or suggestions in the comments box below or email me makeupmasochist@gmail.com . I will answer all of you lovely creatures!

xoxo
Ashley

My (Crazy) Birthday Weekend

Hello everyone!

Sorry I have been MIA these past few days, I have been crazy busy this weekend with  birthday preparations, baking cakes, travelling outside the city, BBQ festivities and fitting life in between whenever possible!

It was a holiday long weekend that has just past here in Canada, celebrating Queen Victoria and its a holiday weekend that we look forward to all winter long. It is officially the long weekend to kick start the summer! Lucky (and maybe unlucky depending how you look at it) for me that my birthday always falls in or around the long weekend. So it always a great opportunity to fire up the BBQ during the day and spread a blanket to watch the fireworks go off later in the evening.







But lets start from the beginning of the weekend - Friday! My partner has been applying into the field of Emergency Medical Services Dispatch, so she had received a call on Thursday from the city of Barrie to come in to do some testing to get the interview process started. However, Barrie is about forty-five minutes to an hour away. So we got in the car, drove the hour, I dropped her off and wished her good luck. These testing sessions last a minimum of 2 hours, so in the meantime while I'm waiting for her to finish, I will usually go exploring to burn some time, especially if we are far out of the city.

I needed to go buy plants and veggies to plant in my garden for this year, so I went to a local Rona and picked up a bunch of lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and zucchini to plant along with some long stem rose bushes, Gerbera Daisy, and Hydrangeas for my flower beds. I love to garden and grow my own foods, so needless to say I was in greenhouse heaven and have been looking forward to this all year!

That blew off about 45 minutes, so I decided to start driving around Barrie and see what it's all about. I like to get away from the residential areas, and drive down the more secluded and off beaten paths. I love to find farms, and bodies of water and just hang out listening to the radio while I wait. Here are some photos of my Barrie adventure!

My Mother had come over that evening to help me plant all my new flowers and veggies to have it all ready for Sundays BBQ.

I also had the privilege and pleasure this weekend to make a birthday cake for a  very special 11 year old. My cousin Andrew turned 11 a few days before and was having his birthday party on the Saturday. Andrew is a soccer fanatic and a Christiano Ronaldo in the making, so I made him a soccer cake. Happy Birthday Andrew, hope you had an amazing birthday and liked the cake I made for you!

Sunday was the big day - my actual birthday and BBQ! Full of family, friends and food! This was the first BBQ that I've held here at my house since we had moved in last year, so I was really excited and happy to have everyone over to celebrate not only my birthday, but my home, yard and being together.

 Here are some photos of the festivities.

And what better way to close the weekend festivities than with another BBQ?!!? Since Monday was a holiday, my second Mother (Aunt Fil) was gracious enough to have us over for BBQ and some laughs watching my baby cousin play with his new sprinkler. The weather was beautiful all weekend, but the hottest on Monday. It was so hot that we ended up having some fun with the sprinkler too!

We celebrate this weekend with fireworks (I get fireworks for my birthday every year!), so here are some shots we caught and the firework finale on video!

Hope you all had a nice and safe long weekend! Although this weekend was non stop until the very last day, I enjoyed every minute of it!

I want to thank everyone for coming and making my birthday extra special. I'm lucky to have such wonderful people in my life and I am blessed with all that I have. Thank you for your generous gifts (future blogpost of what I got is coming, stay tuned!) and taking the time out of your day to send me birthday wishes. I am truly humbled to know how many people care for me and wanted to make my day special.

To see more daily photos and postes, be sure to follow me on Instagram (@fernonje). If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave them below in the comment box or email me makeupmasochist@gmail.com. I will be reading and responding to call comments and emails. And if you are curious to see what I received as gifts for my birthday, please be sure to subscribe to my blog to get notified when I post next!

Until next time lovelies!
xoxo
Ashley